DDW: Diabetes Linked to Higher Adenoma Detection in 40s

(HealthDay News) – Patients aged 40 to 49 years with diabetes mellitus (DM) who undergo colonoscopy have a similar adenoma detection rate to those aged 50 to 59 years without DM, according to a study presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week, held from May 19 to 22 in San Diego.

Hongha T. Vu, MD, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate whether patients with DM should be screened for colorectal adenomas earlier than those without DM. A cohort of 125 participants with DM undergoing first colonoscopy at ages 40 to 49 were date-of-exam and gender matched to cohorts of participants aged 40 to 49 and 50 to 59 years without DM.

The researchers found that the adenoma detection rate was 14.4, 30.4, and 32.0% in those aged 40 to 49 without DM, 40 to 49 years with DM, and 50 to 59 without DM, respectively. Compared to 40- to 49-year-olds without DM, the adenoma detection rate was significantly higher for those aged 40 to 49 with DM (odds ratio [OR], 2.6; adjusted OR, 15.3) and for those aged 50 to 59 years without DM (OR, 2.8; adjusted OR, 14.1). The adenoma detection rate was not statistically significantly different for those aged 40 to 49 with DM and those aged 50 to 59 without DM.

"Our data may have important public-health implications given the rapidly rising incidence of DM, and suggest that consideration be given to modifying current screening guidelines by suggesting that patients with type 2 DM begin screening earlier than age 50," the authors write.

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